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March 18, 2011
Wisconsin governor's union-busting ignites backlash • The new face of labor? At Dosha salon, 155 workers will vote on union • Hundreds rally in Salem for jobs and solidarity • Portland teachers ratify new contract but face gauntlet of critics • Why workers fell out of love with Boeing • Bills
banning collective bargaining die in Washington Legislature • Oregon
Legislature weighs labor-backed bills as 2011 session progresses • High school students get lessons in pipe trades at UA training center • Bodendorfer elected new business rep at Elevator Constructors
March 4, 2011
We are all Wisconsin: Nationwide fightback • Spirit of Wisconsin at Oregon rallies • Mr. President: Americans can't afford another job-killing trade deal • Labor officials attend Obama Intel visit • Building trades miffed at Metro for bypassing Shiprack • Postal workers, customers testify before Workers' Rights Board • Danner Boot lays off 90
February 18, 2011
Union pension funds invest $22 million in Coquille hospital • New book brings to life MLK's dreams of economic justice • OSHA pulls rule on reporting ergonomics injuries • Unions call for boycott of Columbian newspaper • SEIU 49 scores Oregon's biggest private-sector win in decades
February 4, 2011
Conciliator has TriMet and ATU talking after threat of strike • For Valentine's Day, choose union-made and shun sweatshop products • Single-payer summit draws 400 • Bill proposes to add bereavement to Family Leave Act • Union spy finds kidnap ring in second mystery novel • Book depicts mid-century millworkers at Crown Zellerbach • AFSCME 189 elects Hussey president
January 21, 2011
Plumbers Local 290 defends 'broomball' title vs. Fire Fighters • Fired teacher at Portland French School reinstated • U.S.-Korea trade deal draws protests in Portland, Eugene • Union pilots at Evergreen Airlines authorize strike • UNITE HERE warns of possible labor disputes at Portland and Seattle hotels • Narrow majority votes to join SEIU 49 at St. Charles Medical Center in Bend • Unions prepare to defend working families agenda in Salem • Conciliator called in to resolve ATU dispute at TriMet • Major union contracts coming up for negotiation in 2011 • Advocates of single-payer health system feature Conyers at Portland forum • Portlander Veda Shook rises to top job in flight attendants union • Iron Workers Local 29 elects leaders • Shiprack seeks open Metro seat • Kitzhaber taps Shepard for labor adviser • IBEW's Malbin to co-chair prevailing wage advisory panel
January 7, 2011
Machinists and Woodworkers consolidate • New health care law starts to affect union health trusts • Labor applauds Clackamas County for funding Sellwood bridge project • Washington State Labor Council leaders pass the baton • YEAR IN REVIEW: A look back at some top local labor stories of 2010
December 17, 2010
Kulongoski report takes aim at state employees' compensation • Delta remains non-union as fourth group votes to reject unionization • The U.S. political system has been hijacked by rich, political scientists say • Help is out there for long-term unemployed • Union volunteers build home for injured Iraq war veteran • AFSCME's Ridderbusch named to governor-elect's transition team • Pre-apprentice program offers direct entry into Carpenters • BULL Session golf tournament raises $300,000 for kids charities
December 3, 2010
Poor economy leads to layoffs at OR-OSHA • Mohlis, Byrd named to governor-elect's transition team • Machinists Union loses Delta elections; complaint filed • Voters in four states ban union 'card-check' • Bend Area Transit terminates union leader • Apollo Alliance honors Bob Baugh • PSU students help preserve Transit Union Local 757's history • IBEW and NECA light up the Grotto, once again
November 19, 2010
Transit union pickets TriMet board meeting • AFL-CIO poll: Voters punished Dems, but no mandate for GOP • Shop for union-made goods this holiday season – and year-round! • Merkley will push for rule change to end filibuster abuse • Labor vote makes the difference in tight Oregon races • Delta flight attendants say 'no' to union • Free Geek employees vote to join Portland CWA Local 7901 • Portland Public Schools $548 million bond could put trades union members to work
November 5, 2010
Oregon, Washington labor weigh election results • Back to work: Intel to spend nearly $4 billion to build new Hillsboro fab • Fired pro-union teacher turns down two years salary to settle case • Big Pipe project wraps up ahead of schedule • Home for the holidays: There ARE union travel options • Transit union 757 pushes back against TriMet • Saturday mail delivery to continue - for now • Silver Eagle to lay off 55 Machinists • Machinists host seminar on home foreclosures
October 15, 2010
Labor pulling hard for Kitzhaber • Unions battle for/against Washington ballot measures • 32,000 Delta/Northwest airline workers vote on union • DCTU reaches tentative contract with City of Portland • ATU balks at TriMet plan to impose contract • Construction union icon Bob Shiprack retires after 25 years • Single mom, former waitress to lead SEIU Local 503 • Transit Union delegates pick Hanley over Oregonian Ron Heintzman • Union-made Halloween candy • Oregon and Portland-area building trades get all new slate of officers • U.S. House bill recognizes Labor Press
October 1, 2010
Organized labor with one voice: 'Give Congress Heck!' • Bashing teacher unions: AFT talks back • City of Portland worker contract bargaining enters mediation • Union electrician runs for Oregon House • CWA's Bonnie Kelsch retires after 44 years in printing trades
September 17, 2010
Union "Jobs Tour" comes to Portland, Vancouver • New hand at the helm of Columbia-Pacific Building Trades • Free trade deal with Korea will cost U.S. jobs • Obama hasn't lived up to campaign promises on trade • Portland French School broke law to fight union • What Obama could do for workers without Congress • DeFazio tells Building Trades: More infrastructure investment needed • Oregon AFL-CIO youth group gets official start • SEIU locals back Collymore
September 3, 2010
Portland 'jobs' town hall meeting with Trumka and Kitzhaber draws over 500 • Mohlis to succeed Shiprack at Oregon State Building Trades Council • Fired BrucePac workers reinstated • PLUS: Northwest Labor Press 110th anniversary issue
August 20, 2010
UFCW marches for justice in The Dalles • Pelosi touts retrofit program as stimulus success • SEIU's new leader warns of 'coordinated attack' on public workers • Oregon Working Families Party runs Senate candidate • I-5 Bridge Sponsors Council favors 10-lane span • Fate of Portland's 'voter-owned elections' in hands of voters • Washington State Labor Council issues new set of endorsements • Holliday re-elected business manager of Operating Engineers Local 701
August 6, 2010
Decision nears over closure of PGE Boardman coal plant • Casino supporters say valid signatures were tossed; judge agrees to hearing • City draws road map for new marine terminal • Unions weigh in on Washington primary races • City of Portland tries to pry concessions from workers, including overtime • Leupold & Stevens worker gets back pay, but firing chills Machinists campaign • ATU Local 757 contract at TriMet likely to be determined by arbitrator • Endorsements: AFL endorses Schrader • AFSCME backs Hughes; SEIU for Kitzhaber • Davis re-elected business manager of IBEW Local 48 • Carpenter starts union homebuilder business
July 16, 2010
Portland postal workers rally to save Saturday delivery • Daimler Trucks drops wage cut demands, signs new three-year contracts • Union pension plans get more time to recover under newly-passed law • Common, and illegal: Rules that ban coworker wage discussions break labor law • Senator Ron Wyden: Bush agenda may resurface if labor sits out election • Oregon delegates take part in momentous AFSCME convention • Musicians Local 99's Fife elected international VP • Burns named director of Labor's Community Service Agency
July 2, 2010
AFSCME crew spend furlough day cleaning up river trash • Heintzman tapped as president of ATU international union • Trained home energy workers waiting for jobs • Food service workers at Convention Center authorize strike against Aramark • NLRB seeks injunction against BrucePac • This just in: DOL wins back pay for Umatilla workers, six months ago • UFCW Local 555 to hold job actions at Fred Meyer stores • Safeway plant sanitors join Bakers Union • AFL-CIO leaders get earful at first-ever youth summit • Hughes, Smith pick up union endorsements • AFL-CIO's Shepard exits Metro race
June 18, 2010
Transit Union Local 757 sounds alarm to 'Save Our Ride' • Building trades unions squawk at Ducks' no-bid contracting • WSLC-backed Pridemore quits congressional race • Postal unions oppose move to eliminate Saturday mail service • SEIU Local 503 director Frane takes DC job for SEIU international • Motorcycle poker run raises $50,000
June 4, 2010
Primary results: Kitzhaber vs Dudley for Oregon governor • State faces more budget woes • Building trades collecting signatures for private casino • Stimulus funds will help Portland schools with 'green' retrofits • ATU Local 757 files harassment complaints against Bend Area Transit contractor • BrucePac appeals order to reinstate fired union supporters • Convention Center servers cry foul as Aramark pockets their tips • Reliant Elevator acquired by Kone • Opposition to Arizona's immigration enforcement law continues to grow
May 21, 2010
Laborers take BrucePac dispute to next stage • Union pension funds face slow-motion crisis • Will Congress come to the rescue of multiemployer pension funds? • Oregon's Worker Freedom Act survives court challenge • Building trades back bid for private casino • Two proposed construction projects in Oregon shelved • Five unfair labor practice complaints filed against Portland French School • Glass Workers 139B wages one-week strike at Vancouver Iron & Steel • Flute Fandango wants to set Guinness record • Pridemore nabs AFL-CIO endorsement for Congress • Nesbitt to be governor's chief of staff • Springfield Roofers merge with Local 49 of Portland • Glenn Shuck retires
May 7, 2010
Historic workers comp reform reaches milestone • Labor-friendly Democrats square off in governor's race • NLRB rules BrucePac firings broke federal law • Building trades' Mohlis to recuse himself from vote on PDC office lease • Portland-based Carpenters Local 247 placed under supervision • Washington legislative session a mixed bag for labor • Machinists endorse Castillo, Wu, Holvey, Riggs-Henson
April 16, 2010
Judge expresses doubts about Worker Freedom lawsuit • Health insurance reform: How will it affect union members? • Iron Workers 'top out' new Kaiser Medical Center • Working Families Party aims to ramp up in 2010 • Unions to remember fallen workers at memorial service in Salem April 28 • Ergonomic regulation reform put on the back burner • Senator Murray: I-5 bridge decision must be made quickly • Senator Cantwell: Jobs are priority number one • Clark County Clerk Parker announces re-election bid
April 2, 2010
Federal judge to hear challenge to Oregon's Worker Freedom Act • Unions protest Postal Service plan to eliminate Saturday mail service • Congress passes massive health insurance reform • Details of BrucePac anti-union campaign come out in lawsuit • Steelworkers in McMinnville give up raise to extend contract • Wealthy will pay more if Bush tax cuts expire in 2010 as scheduled • More endorsements from organized labor: City, County, and governor
March 19, 2010
Walmart tops list of Oregon businesses with employees receiving public assistance • Congress nears vote on health insurance reform bill • Trumka calls new jobs bill 'a Band-Aid on an amputated limb'• NLRB grinds to a halt as U.S. Senate fails to confirm • Joblessness worse than stats reveal • Candidates pick up labor endorsements for May primary • Lane County Labor Council's Pat Riggs-Henson retires
March 5, 2010
Delivery after dark: Shortstaffing forces letter carriers to deliver at night • Stimulus act, one year later: Q&A with Oregon Congressman Peter DeFazio • Labor counts successes and setbacks in Oregon Legislature special session • Congressman Schrader says he supports NAFTA-style trade deal with South Korea • Piedmont Post Office dedicated in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. • NOLC backs incumbents; AFSCME 88 issues endorsements in County races; Carpenters go for Kitzhaber • Portland school teachers reach tentative contract •Marion Polk Yamhill Labor Council and Clark Skamania West Klickitat Labor Council install new officers
February 19, 2010
Oregon construction workers demand jobs legislation • Senate abuse of filibuster hobbles union-backed legislation • Union tracking jobs bills in Washington Legislature • Attorney general seeks labor's help cracking down on underground economy • Exterior/Interior specialists ratify new contract • Vote makes it final: Laurelhurst Village will be a union nursing home • Portland school teachers reach tentative contract • Bargaining opens between DCTU, City of Portland • CWA Local 7901's Linda Rasmussen hangs it up
February 5, 2010
Tax increases on wealthy and corporations win in landslide • A labor 'look back' over Obama's first year in office • Labor's message to lawmakers: Good Jobs, Now! • UFCW Local 555 ratifies Portland grocery pacts • Portland parking meter techs win fight against outsourcing • Soccer stadium deal comes with union neutrality and living wage commitments • Housing Authority to import windows for apartment weatherization project • Labor bills in the mix as lawmakers return to Salem • Honduran union leaders tells of labor's struggle against coup • Airport screeners in nationwide campaign to unionize • Attorney general tells Labor Law crowd he will fight to defend Worker Freedom Act • PGE proposes to change — or close — Boardman coal plant • Kitzhaber picks up more union endorsements • Driving in Oregon? Keep your hands off your phone • Electrical Workers Minority Caucus meets, and volunteers, in Portland • Laborers' Gary Moore re-elected to Portland Metal Trades Council post
January 15, 2010
Portland-area UFCW members dropped from Kaiser Permanente coverage • Opponents prefer to glide past facts of tax increase measures 66 and 67 • Umatilla demilitarization workers get $3.7 million back pay • After 18 months, Portland Public School teachers still without contract • More Steelworkers laid off at Cascade Steel • Merkley amendment to health reform bill levels construction playing field • Daimler gets $40 million to develop fuel-efficient trucks • Sheet Metal Training Center gets piece of $5 million ARRA grant
January 1, 2010
Ballot measures 66 and 67: Taxing the top tier • Year in review: 2009 in organized labor • Lying by numbers • U.S. Chamber of Commerce sues to halt Worker Freedom Act